Bengals owner Mike Brown supportive of Adam Jones

Bengals owner Mike Brown on Wednesday discussed the cornerback's January arrest and offered his support to the troubled veteran in an interview with The Cincinnati Enquirer at the NFL owners' meetings in Phoenix.

Brown said he sees Jones as "a person who is energetic, lively, positive for the most part, exceptionally so" and recounted his memories of how Jones dealt with his daughter's premature birth five years ago, saying factors like that play into his overall thoughts on Jones.

"It’s a bigger picture than one incident," Brown said. "And I get to be the one that sits in the chair to decide that. So I have chosen to decide it the way I am deciding it. I’m going to give him a chance. I hope it comes out right for him, for his family and for us. I know there are critics. I understand. But that is a full answer. And that’s what I have to say about it."

Jones was charged with assault, disorderly conduct, obstructing official business and harassment with a bodily substance for his alleged actions early Jan. 3 in Cincinnati beginning at a downtown hotel and later at the Hamilton County Jail, though the felony charge of harassment with a bodily substance was dismissed last week. The nurse he allegedly spit on, however, is pursuing a civil case against Jones.

The NFL and the Bengals have yet to hand down a punishment for the incident, but Brown said the situation is "playing out."

"I’m not condoning his actions," Brown said. "They were in all honestly embarrassing. He was out of control. He misbehaved. He made a fool of himself. No one knows that more than he does. …

"What the municipal prosecutor does, that hasn’t been determined. What the league does, that hasn’t been determined. So when I say ‘play out’ there are more shoes to drop. We’ll see what comes of it. But I hope it ends up that he gets his life back and he has openly apologized. He knows full well what he has done to himself. He regrets it. But it’s been made into a public issue and maybe I am overly tolerant. If so, so be it."

Jones, 33, had previously been suspended for the entire 2007 season and part of 2008. His latest exploit is the first time he's been in trouble since.